Signal-box.



B. B. HATCH.

SIGNAL BOX.

APPLicATloN F1LEDMAR.27.1915.

1,175,444. Patented Mm. 14., 1916.

BENJAMIN B. HATCH, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

SIGNAL-BOX.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 14, 1916.

Application led March 27, 1915. Serial No. 17,498.

To all whom z't may concern:

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN B. HATCH, of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Signal-BOX, of which the fol-V lowing is a specification.

My invention relates to the class of signal systems in which two movable members are used to give the signal, one being movable into engagement with the other, an example being disclosed in U. S. Letters Patent No. 917,061, dated April 6, 1908, in which the arm all is moved into engagement with member a to set a signal. It has'been customary toy mount these two members on separate elements or bases. In some cases one of these elements called the wall case is partially or entirely embedded in the wall and the workman frequently sets it so carelessly that it is tilted to a considerable extent with reference to the plane of the wall and when the other element such as the mounting ring is placed against the face of the wall the movable member carried by it will not engage the movable member of the wall case and therefore the re signal will not be given which is obviously a serious matter.

In other cases the wall case is only partially embedded but in fitting the conduits it is often tilted about its axis and if the mounting ring which in such cases usually bears against the wall case is placed in its proper angular position the movable members will not engage each other by reason of angular variation and therefore fail to give the signal. This angular variation may also be present in case the mounting ring bears against the face of the wall.

The main object of my invention is to provide a signal box which will be certain to operate at all times even if the workman has done defective work in setting the wall case so that the latter is tilted with reference to the plane of the wall or is otherwise tilted and my invention consists partly in so constructing the device that the two movable members will be mounted on the same base or element and in the preferred form they are mounted on the mounting ring.

Another feature of my invention consists in means for guiding the parts into position and another feature consists in the attach- 111g means.

Other features will be pointed out below. In the drawings: Figure l is a central crosswise section; Fig. 2 is an elevation of the inner side of the cover removed; Fig. 3 1s a front elevation of the cover; Fig. 4 is a sectional detail; and Fig. 5 is a view illustrating a condition in the prior art.

In the wall A is placed the wall case B having lugs b b with threaded recesses at an angle to the wall of the wall case. The wall case is also provided with diametrically opposite conduit openings, one being shown at Z9 and a conduit being shown at b2.

The mounting ring D has a flat portion CZ to engage wall A, said portion being grooved at d to receive rubber packing (ZT. It is further provided with a fiat portion (Z2 to which is secured the door-front, later described. From the flat portion Z2 a portion (Z3 extends inwardly and from this extends portion d* at an angle to the front of the box and provided with bosses (Z5 (Z5 interiorly threaded. In portion (Z4 holes d Z6 are provided for the passage of screws E which engage the threading of lugs I; to hold the mounting ring in place, said holes being large enough to allow considerable play for the body of the screw.

Guiding lugs F are preferably cast on the mounting ring and their function is to position the ring and wall case with relation to each other, the lugs F being shaped as shown and spaced slightly from the portion (Z7 of the mounting ring, principally for the purpose of providing freedom of relative motion rather than a tight fit. I also mount the boX G for the leading in wires on the mounting ring. I also provide recesses g g to receive screws g g which engage the door front H to be later described.

The signal box K has ears 7c l@ held to bosses (Z5 by screws 7c and upon this signal boX is mounted rotary operating member K which coperates with arm 7a2 mounted to rotate with rock shaft 7c3 to which is rigidly connected operating member Kt, said rock shaft being mounted on the door to be later described.

The door front I-I has bosses h which enter the recesses g and are connected to the mounting ring by screws g g and upon it is pivoted at L the door M which carries rock shaft K3 and members K'i and 7a2. The arm K4 has projection to engage lever h5 to operate the main signal circuit as described in said Patent No. 917,061.

The usual glass plate N, partition P and lock R are provided.

It will be clear that the arm K4 operates through 7a4 and 765 the main signal circuit and also throughvl and 702 operates the local signal circuit in box K and further that when the door is closed members K and k2 must always be in position for coperation because the mounting for memberKf, which is the box K, and the mounting for member k2 which is the door are in fixed relation forming one base so that the local signal is sure to be given whether the wall case B is tilted or not and whether the tilting is with reference to the face of wall A or angular tilting as above described.

It will further be clear that the connections between the door front and mounting ring are inaccessible when the door is closed which avoids opportunity ofl tampering with said connections.

In Fig.- 5 I illustrate the tilting which may result in the lack of engagement between the two movable members which I have illustrated as K and 7a2 'although it is understood that in Fig. 5 these members are mounted on separate bases as in the prior art.

What I claim is:

l. A signal box comprising a wall case to enter a recess in a wall or support; a base to cover said wall case and also engage the suppo-rt uniformly about said base; a signaling member carried by said base; and means to hold said wall case and basetogether in the above recited position irrespective of any projection of the case beyond the surface of the wall or support.

2. A signal box comprising a wall case to enter a recess in a wall or support; a base to cover said wall case and also engage the support uniformly about said base; a signaling member carried by said base; and means to hold said wall case and base together in the above recited position irrespective of whether the case projects beyond the surface of the wall or'support or is depressed beyond said surface.

8. A signal box comprising a wall case to enter a recess in a wall or support; a base to cover said wallcase and also engage the support uniformly about said base; two oscillating membersV mounted `on said base and croperating to give a signal; and means to hold said wall case and base together in' the above recited position irrespective of any projection of the case beyond the surface of the wall or support.

4. A signal box comprising a wall case to enter a recess in a wall or support; a base to cover said wall case and also engage the support uniformly about said base; a movable member mounted on said base and adapted to give a signal; a second member mounted on said base and adapted to operate the first member to give a signal; and means to hold said wall case and base toether in the above recited position irrespective of any projection of the case beyond the surface of the wall or support. Y

5. A signal box comprising a wall case to enter a recess in a wall or support; a mounting ring to engage said wall case and engage the support uniformly about said mounting ring; an oscillating operating member; a bearing for said member rigidly connected to said mounting ring; a door pivotally connected to said mounting ring; a second oscillating Y operating member mounted on said door and being adapted when the door is closed to engage the first mentioned operating member to give a signal; and means to hold said wall case and base together in the above recited position irrespective of any projection of the case beyond the surfaceV of the wall or support.

6. A signal box comprising a wall case and a mounting ring provided vwith interengaging guiding means, said means guiding said wall case and mounting ring relatively toward each other in varying tilted relationship of said case and ring.

7. A signal box comprising a wall case and a mounting ring provided with interengaging guiding means, said means guiding said wall case and mounting ring relatively toward each other in varying angular relationship between the mounting ring and the longitudinal axis of the wall case.

8. A signal Vbox comprising a mounting ring and a door front separably connected; and a door movably mounted on the door front and when closed rendering inaccessible the connections between said ring and said door front, the connecting means of said ring and door front being located beyond the periphery of said door.

9. A signal box comprising a wall case; a mounting ring; means to separably connect said case and ring; a door front; means to separably connect said ring and door front, the last-mentioned means being inaccessible when the mounting ring and wall case are connected; and a door mounted on said door front.

10. A signal box comprising a case adapted to enter a recess in a support; a base to engage the face of said support; a signaling train mounted on said base and adapted to give a signal; an operating member mounted on said base and adapted to operate said train to give a signal; and means to hold said case and base together in varying tilting relation of said case to the face of said support.

11. A signal box comprising a case adapted to enter a recess in a support; a base to engage the face of said support; a signaling train mounted on said base and adapted to give a signal; an operating member mounted on said base and adapted to operate Said train to give a signal; and

means to hold said case and base together in varying relation of said case to the face of said support and n varying angular relation of said case to said support.

12. A signal box comprising a Wall case adapted to partially enter a recess in a support; a mounting ring to cover said Wall case and uniformly engage the face of said support and provided with a recess to receve the portion of the Wall case which projects from the recess of the support; and means to hold the case and ring together.

BENJAMIN B. HATCH.

Copies of patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner o! Patents, Washington, D. C, 

